Breast implants because of uneven breasts!?

HappyGirl · Newbie Joined: 30 Dec 2006 Posts: 1

Wow, I know it sounds horrible in a misery-loves-company way, but I feel so comforted to know that so many other people are like me. I always thought my asymmetry made me some freak of nature.

I'm 23 years old and all through junior high, high school, and college, I dealt with the embarrassment and discomfort that came from having severe asymmetry. My left was a D, my right a B. Three years ago, while still in college, I finally decided (after realizing that herbal breast enhancers and electric "growth stimulating" boob cups were not going to cut it) to meet with a plastic surgeon. He looked me over and said that I had several options. I could have a reduction to the larger side, I could have an implant put in the smaller side, or I could have a reduction to the larger side and then implants placed in both so that I could keep the D I had always projected to the outward world by wearing those horribly uncomfortable silicone bra inserts.

I didn't want to go down in size on my left, so option A was out. My surgeon was against option B, because no matter what, a breast with an implant is never going to look the same as a breast without, and since my goal was to look more symmetrical, that seemed like a pointless surgery. I agreed. So option C: A reduction to the left and double implants.

Well, that was three years ago. I was so scared of having the surgery, plus all the other things that factored in, like money (I was still a broke college kid), finding time to schedule a surgery and recovery among classes, sorority events, etc... that I kept finding reasons to put it off.

Well, three years later, I decided I wasn't putting it off anymore. After all these years of the embarrassment, never being able to find a bra that fits right, constantly pulling at the smaller side because it was riding up after being tugged by the larger side... I was ready to bite the bullet and get it over with.

After lots of chats with my doctor and the surgical consultant (very friendly and helpful, she herself having gotten implants years ago), I set my date for the surgery. December 22nd, 2006.

Well, that was last Friday. I was scared to death all the way to the surgical center, as I got hooked up to the IV (I hate needles!), as my doc came in to draw lines on my chest, and as they wheeled me into the OR and started strapping my arms down.

I woke up and the first sensation I was aware of was PAIN. The next thought in my head after that was "OMG I'm going to hurl." The anesthesia really did a number on me. I went home and spent a couple of days in bed, barely moving (even though they advised me to move as much as I could) thinking "why did I do this to myself?!" I was swollen from my chest all the way down to my stomach, and the meds I was on had their own awful side effects.

But as the pain started to receed and I was able to get up and take my first shower, I got my first look at my new body in my bathroom mirror... and nearly wept with happiness. I thought "THAT'S why I did this!!!" For the first time in my life, my breasts were, even with the surgical tape and swelling and bruising and lumpiness and the fact that they appeared to be sitting right under my chin, NORMAL LOOKING.

I went in for my post op on Tuesday and my doc undid my surgical bra and exclaimed "wow, those are some pretty Christmas boobies!" (Yes, he really said that.) The surgical consultant was in the room with us and literally gasped (having been in for all the previous exams as well), and said "OMG, they look so nice! How does it feel to be symmetrical?" I said "Amazing!"

I'm still healing. I'm off all the meds now (just finished up the anti-biotics this morning!) and while I still have some tightness, espcially when my pecs flex (my implants are behind the muscle), and some residual soreness, I'm feeling pretty good. Not ready to run a marathon or anything, but good. My left side looks a tiny bit bigger than my right still, but it's only noticeable when I look down at them, not in a mirror. I think that because I had more done to that side (a reduction plus the implant) that it's simply swelling a bit more than the right, and my doctor agrees. It also appears that my left nipple is a tiny bit higher than the right, but again, this one is swollen more so it is sitting higher on my chest at the moment. I'm hoping that when it begins to settle, the nipples will even out. If not, my doc says he can fix it in his office. Though after years of having hugely asymmetrical breasts, I think a little bit of imbalance in the placement of the nipples might not be the worst thing in the world.

All in all, my procedure included a lift (on the right side, with nipple placement), reduction to the left (also with nipple placement), and double silicone gel implants. I got 550cc moderate profiles under the muscle. My surgery cost $6900, which I very easily had financed. My first payment ($139.5 Cool

is due in January. When I think of $140 a month, it seems much less overwhelming than thinking $6900!

I opted for silicone because I thought they felt much more like real breast tissue than the saline. At the time of my first consult, silicone was still off the market for the general public, but because I fell into the category of "special circumstances" because I was correcting an asymmetry and not just trying to pump up small breasts, I was offered the silicone option. Though when I went in for my pre-op last week, my surgeon was ecstatic to tell me that the FDA had finally, just a couple of weeks ago, put silicone implants back on the market, so that now anyone can get them. That's fantastic!

I'm going back to my doc's office on Thursday to get this tape off, and I think the sutures too (which I'm nervous about, because I haven't asked how exactly that will take place and if there will be pain involved). Then in another six weeks I'll go back for a final post op and my after photos. After that I hopefully won't have to go back for a while, since it's a 2 hour drive to my doc's office and after going five times in three weeks, I'm a bit tired of it.

Anyway, I was researching post-op recovery and ended up following a link on asymmetry here, and was compelled to post. I know the anguish that so many of you are going through, and I now know that it doesn't have to be permenant.

Whatever you decide to do, it needs to be what's right for YOU. Those of you who decide to embrace your body the way it is, good for you! Work it!

Those of you who decide to change yourself, either with a reduction, one implant, or two... good for you! Never let anybody make you feel ashamed for being "vain" or poo-poo what you go through. So many people I know acted like I was a whiny little twit for "making a fuss" over my asymmetrical breasts. They said things like "it's not a big deal, you shouldn't let it bother you" and "plastic surgery is such a painful, expensive thing to do over something so superficial as a difference in breast size, you should be glad you don't have something REALLY wrong with you!" And I'm like "how dare you stand there in front of me with your perfectly proportioned breasts and tell ME what a big deal I'M making!" People who haven't had to experience what we have... well, they get no validated opinion on the subject. They don't know what it's like.

Everyone, do what you have to do to feel the best you can about yourself. No matter what that might be.

Good luck to all of you, and I wish you the happiness and peace that I feel now everytime I look in the mirror at my two "twins", or I put on a bra without having to constantly tug at one side when it keeps riding up, or having to adjust that stupid, uncomfortable gel insert.

God bless!

HappyGirl

erinmid · Newbie Joined: 02 Dec 2006 Posts: 4 Location: chicago

oh man
i'm 19 and i have this same problem. i always felt like my left was bigger than the right, but i figured it was something only i would notice.
but looking at some pictures, it's definitely there. it's not cups and cups of difference, but it's still there. my boyfriend never mentioned it and he probably hasn't noticed, but sometimes i worry about the day he does, because then i'll just be embarassed and feel bad about myself.

it doesn't seem major enough to need surgery at this point, but i'm hoping the other one catches up still. i'm just worried that it'll just get more noticeable with time D:

is there anything i can even DO that isn't surgery? i hate that i can't seem to do anything about it.

Guest · Guest

I am 4 months from a one sided breast reduction to fix my larger droopy left breasts. I went to a very reputable surgeon in Indianapolis, IN and still came out with uneven breasts. She DID fix the droopy nipple problem so now my nipples hit at the same point, but the one breast she reduced became smaller than the one that was smallest in the first place! My only suggestion to anyone who is thinking about having a breast surgey to fix uneven breasts is this: make sure the specific surgeon you are going to is good at fixing uneven breasts. I am generally happy that my one breast does not droop anymore but I am very unhappy that it is now too small! Good luck and do your homework first!
PS: I am 25 and was 24 when I had the surgery.

Guest · Guest

im 20 yeas old now i have been uneven from the day i started to grow. one side is a A teh other is a AA it really sucks having to be small and uneven even Sad

if i get implants my nipals are still far from one another. i just wonted to let you all know that i 2 have scoliosis.

Guest · Guest

I have the same problem. I am 20 years old, with uneven breasts and scoliosis. the scoliosis definitely intensifies the unevenness...its always on my mind and im really thinking about surgery.

angdawn · Newbie Joined: 25 Apr 2007 Posts: 1

I too have uneven breasts. I am 24 and they are been getting more and more noticeable over the last few years. I have put on some weight which may have an impact however. Having one breast a small b and the other a d is a little harsh on my self esteem. My husband jokes about it trying to make me feel better and it doesnt bother him. However I am definately thinking about implants to correct the problem. My only question is how will that effect breast feeding when I have kids? Should I wait until after to get them? I have heard that during pregnancy your breast increase in size alot and if you have implants once you are done milking they get saggy around the implant. Is this true?

Guest · Guest

This thread makes me feel a lot better! I have uneven breasts and scoliosis (there does seem to be a correlation there) - one is C and one is B cup. It's not as big a difference as some other people, but it's definitely enough to notice if you look at them, and I think the scoliosis makes it even more noticeable because the boobs are "placed" differently. The bigger one sits further out the side of my body, while the smaller one sort of has a bare space next to it where my ribs are. I used to just accept it (sort of) and wear a normal thin bra, but about a year ago I really started noticing a bigger difference so I got one of those chicken fillet inserts.

Which brings me to my first question: does anybody know how to wear an insert so that it keeps the shape of the boob natural-looking? I have to wear a really padded bra in order to use the insert, and it's so uncomfortable. Plus, I look like I have these enormous boobs, and it looks fake and odd to me. Are there inserts that are really thin, but still filled with silicone? Any suggestions, like websites selling good, thin inserts?

Next question: I've mentioned to my boyfriend of 3.5 years that I would consider getting breast implants -- nothing drastic, just the minimal surgery to get them even, like a tiny implant in one and a bigger implant in the other -- and he gets really angry at me and calls me shallow, basically. He says he doesn't respect people who get plastic surgery, and that my boobs are fine as they are. He thinks he's being supportive. Does anybody else have a similar experience, or offer advice? It makes me feel so petty for being bothered by my uneven boobs when he says this.

Roxanne15 · Newbie Joined: 03 Jul 2007 Posts: 8

I also have some fear regarding these matter but I think that anyone who wants to perform these surgery have to inform themselves well on what they will do and if where they'll do it, it is safe and guarantee about the result!!

Guest · Guest

Guest · Guest

I am now 55 years old.
I noticed that i had extremely uneven breasts (to my horror) when i was 14. I kept it to myself. I didn't mention it to anyone. I managed to lead a rather frigid life even with my husband and divorced him right after the birth of my child. I lived alone without male companionship the rest of my life and my child is an only child.
My life has been ruined from this and my child has no siblings and all for the price of a good used car ($10K at the worst case). I say if it's extreme and it bothers you, go ahead and find a Board Certified plastic surgeon or go to a few for their opinions. MOST HAVE THEIR OWN PAYMENT PLANS THESE DAYS(start saving your pennies and sell something). It's a shame to waste your life worry about something that's deformed and easily fixed. DON'T ANY OF YOU GIRLS END UP LIKE ME. I cried reading all of these posts. :cry:

Breast implants because of uneven breasts!?

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